The Nigerian government has moved 22 repentant terrorists undergoing rehabilitation to the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Maiduguri, Borno State, for further evaluation and care. The individuals, part of the Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC) program, are being assessed for specialized psychiatric attention as part of their rehabilitation process, according to Brig. Gen. Yusuf Ali, Coordinator of OPSC.
The announcement was made during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, where plans for the successful reintegration of rehabilitated individuals into society were discussed. Since OPSC began in 2016, the program has successfully processed 2,190 individuals, including Nigerians and foreign nationals, with all foreign nationals repatriated to their home countries.
General Ali also shared that between July and November 2024, 825 new clients—14 of them foreigners—were admitted into the rehabilitation program. As the first batch of rehabilitated insurgents nears graduation in March 2025, the meeting focused on finalizing reintegration plans, including suitable resettlement packages and community sensitization.
Gen. Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff, highlighted that more than 120,000 terrorists and their families have surrendered since the program’s inception. The initiative aims to de-radicalize and reintegrate ex-combatants, and the program continues to support 789 individuals currently undergoing rehabilitation. Successful graduates will receive personal items and start-up packs for small businesses to help them reintegrate into society.
The meeting emphasized the need for collaboration between local authorities, security forces, and state governments to ensure the smooth transition of rehabilitated individuals into their communities.
